Thimble setter



June 2, 1970 J. M. FAMIGLIETTE THIMBLE SETTER Filed A ril 2. 1969 Z 7 7j A J lwezzfag' am a Z dzzg United States Patent 3,514,800 THIMBLESETTER John M. Famigliette, 630 Plain St., Stoughton, Mass. 02072 FiledApr. 2, 1969, Ser. No. 812,788- Int. Cl. A43d 00/00 US. Cl. 12-1 8Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A holder containing an axial holewithin which is pivotally supported a punch bar and a spindletelescopically mounted in the hole in the holder for movement relativeto the punch bar, said spindle being adapted to fit snugly into athimble and containing an axial slot through which the punch bar extendsand a lateral opening through which the punch bar is adapted to bedisplaced by relative movement of the support and spindle to cause thepunch bar to make a depression in the wall of the thimble.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the manufacture of footwear a form isused upon which the component parts of which the footwear is to becomprised are assembled and joined to produce the desired article. Suchforms are generally known as lasts and the neck of the last contains ahole by means of which it may be mounted on a support during theassembly of the parts thereon. The lasts are used over and over againand hence the holes become enlarged and worn out of round and so it iscustomary to insert a metal thimble into the hole to lessen the amountof wear and hence lengthen the useful life of the last. The thimble isan open-ended sleeve 'with a flange at one end and is driven into thehole in the neck of the last, the hole being made slightly smaller indiameter than the thimble so that a tight fit will be obtained. In spiteof this, the rough handling that the last undergoes tends to loosen thethimble so that it pulls out and if not lost must be driven back intothe hole. In some instances, the flange at the upper end of the sleevehas been provided with teeth which are driven into the neck of the lastaround the hole and do facilitate holding the sleeve in place. Thisinvention has for its purpose to provide an improved way of holding thethimble in the last and to a simple and yet highly effective piece ofapparatus for setting the thimble in the hole of the last.

\SUMMARY As herein illustrated, the thimble is set into the hole byfirst inserting it into the hole and then displacing a portion of itsside wall laterally into the wall of the hole such as by forming adetent in the wall or by cutting through the wall and forcing the cutmetal laterally into the substance of the last. The apparatus foreffecting the operation comprises telescopically associated parts, oneof which is adapted to fit snugly into the thimble, and an implementsuch as a punch pivotally connected to the other part which is containedwithin the one part but is movable relative thereto as the parts aretelescoped relative to each other, on the one hand, to displace theimplement laterally from the one part and, on the other hand, towithdraw it into the one part. More specifically, the parts comprise arigid holder, a pivotally mounted punch bar mounted at one end forpivotal movement from a position in alignment with the holder to alateral position, a spindle telescopically mounted on the holder aboutthe punch bar, said spindle corresponding in crosssection to the insideof the thimble and being adapted to fit snugly thereinto and containinga lateral opening through which the punch bar is adapted to be moved by3,514,800 Patented June 2, 1970 pivotal movement, and a cam on thespindle movable into engagement with the punch bar by telescopingmovement of the holder and the spindle relative to each other to movethe punch bar through the lateral opening and force it against thethimble within which the spindle is situated.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the thimble setter engagedwith a sleeve set into the neck of a last preparatory to operation;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 1 showing the operativeposition of the device; and

FIG. 4 shows a thimble with a portion of its wall displaced laterally soas to lock the thimble in the neck of the last.

Referring to the drawings, the tool comprises a holder 10 within whichthere is telescopically mounted a spindle 12 operable by movementrelative to the holder 10 to displace a punch bar 14 supported by theholder 10 and extending longitudinally through the spindle from aretracted inoperative position, as shown in FIG. 1, within the spindlethrough a lateral opening therein to an operative position such as shownin FIG. 3, to displace the wall 16 of a thimble 18 set into a hole 20 inthe neck 22 of the last to form a locking detent or spur 24 of metalwhich prevents the thimble from working its way out of the hole.

The holder 10 comprises a cylinder block 26 containing an axial hole 28.One end of the hole is closed by an adapter 30 and an end plate 32. Theother end of the hole has concentric portions of smaller diameter, towit, a portion 34 which forms in conjunction with the hole 28 a shoulder36 and a portion 38 which forms with the portion 34 a shoulder 40.

The adapter 30 contains a slot 42 within which one end of an arbor 44 ismounted and pivotally connected by a bolt 46. The arbor 44 is concentricwith the hole 28 and extends from the closed end toward the open end,terminating short of the shoulder 36. The distal end of the arborcontains a transverse slot 48 within which the end 50 of the punch bar14 is pivotally connected by a pin 52. The punch bar extends from itspivot through the open end of the hole 28 and through the smallerdiameter openings 34 and 38.

The spindle 12 is cylindrical and is provided at one end with a flangedportion 54 adapted to fit into the opening 34, a portion 56 of smallerdiameter adapted to fit in the opening 38 and a portion 58 adapted tofit snugly into the inside of the thimble that is to be operated on. Thespindle has a longitudinally extending slot 60 entering it through theflanged end and extending part way through to the opposite end and alateral opening 62 which in effect is a continuation of the slot 60through one side of the'spindle. Opposite the lateral opening 62 thereis an inclined cam surface 64 against which the distal end of the punchbar 14 rests in its withdrawn position, that is, when the punch bar iscontained wholly within the slot in the spindle as is shown in 'FIG. 1.By moving the spindle telescopically within the holder 26, the camsurface 64 is caused to displace the distal end of the punch barlaterally as shown in FIG. 3. To facilitate the camming action thedistal end of the punch bar is provided with a smooth convex surface 66to reduce the friction between it and the cam and at the opposite sidehas a sharp cutting shoulder 68 adapted, when displaced laterallythrough the opening 62 by engagement with the wall of the thimble, todisplace or cut through it.

Normally the punch bar is held retracted within the spindle by a coiledspring 70 mounted within the hole 28 with one end bearing against theadapter 30 and the other end bearing against a collar 72 set into thehole against the shoulder 36 and against a portion of the flange 54. Thespring will yield to pressure applied to move the spindle toward thearbor to effect lateral displacement of the punch bar.

Normally the device is used for the purpose described by thrusting thespindle into the thimble Which has already been placed in the neck ofthe last and then mounting the device and the last between the platensof a press so as to move the parts relative to each other and hence toforce the punch bar laterally from the spindle against the wall of thethirnble.

Optionally, the operation may be performed by setting the last on arigid surface and applying pressure to the holder or by striking theupper end of the holder With a heavy blow.

The device is so constructed as to be easy to assemble and disassemblein the event that it is necessary to replace the punch bar, embodies theminimum number of operative parts and hence requires very littlemaintenance and While the holder is described as being cylindrical it isobviously within the scope of the invention to make the holder of anycross-section suitable for the purposes herein described.

I claim:

1. A thimble setting device comprising telescopically associated parts,one of which is adapted to fit snugly into the thimble, an implementpivotally mounted to the other part said implement being containedwithin said one part but being movable relative thereto and meanscarried by said one part situated in a position to intercept theimplement as the parts telescopically move relative to each other on theone hand to displace the implement laterally from the one part and onthe other hand to withdraw it into said one part.

2. A thimble setting device comprising telescopically associated partsone of said parts being adapted to fit snugly into the thimble, animplement mounted on said other part for movement relative to the onepart in a direction to extend it laterally from the one part against theinner side of the thimble within which the part is inserted, and meansoperable by telescopic movement of the parts in one direction relativeto each other to effect lateral movement of the implement from the onepart to cause the implement to displace the wall of the thimble and inthe other direction to retract the implement into the one part.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the implement has a cuttingedge adapted to cut through and displace the wall of the thimble.

4. An implement according to claim 2, wherein a spring compressed bymovement of the parts to effect lateral displacement of the implement isoperable to effect movement of the parts in an opposite direction toretract the implement.

5. A thimble setting device comprising a rigid part, a spindle mountedon the part for telescoping movement relative to the rigid part, a punchbar pivotally connected to the rigid part and extending therefrom alongthe axis of the spindle, said spindle having a portion adapted to fitsnugly into the thimble and said punch bar being normally containedwithin the geometry of the spindle, and means carried by the spindleoperable, by engagement with the punch bar as the spindle is moved inone direction relative to the rigid part, to displace the punch barabout its pivot to a lateral position relative to the spindle and in theother direction to permit it to be returned to its initial positionwithin the geometry of the spindle.

6. A thimble setting device comprising a rigid base containing a holeclosed at one end open at the other, a rigid arbor of smaller size thanthe hole mounted in the hole With one end pivotally connected to theclosed end, a punch bar having a cutting edge pivotally connected to theother end of the arbor and extending from the hole, said punch bar beingmovable from a position in alignment with the arbor to a lateralposition, a part mounted in the open end of the hole with one endadjacent the end of the arbor and the other end extending therefrom,said part embodying a portion adapted to fit into the thimble andcontaining a longitudinal slot for receiving the punch bar and a lateralslot through which the cutting edge of the punch bar is adapted to bemoved, said part being movable in the open end of the hole toward thearbor and by such movement operable to effect lateral displacement ofthe cutting edge of the punch bar through the lateral slot, a coilspring situated in the hole around the arbor with one end against theclosed end of the hole and the other against said part, and means atsaid one end of the part holding the part in the base in Spaced relationto the end of the arbor in opposition to said spring.

7. A thimble setting device comprising a rigid base containing a holeclosed at one end and open at the other, a rigid arbor mounted in thehole, means pivotally connecting one end of the arbor to the base at theclosed end of the hole, a punch bar pivotally connected at one end tothe other end of the arbor, said punch bar extending from the arborthrough the open end of the hole, a part mounted in the hole inalignment with the arbor with one end spaced from the arbor, a springdisposed against the arbor between the closed end of the hole and saidone end of the part urging the part away from the arbor, means on saidone end and the base at the open end of the hole which, by engagementtherewith, holds the part at said predetermined spacing but whichpermits the part to be moved toward the end of the arbor, said partcontaining longitudinal and transverse openings within which the punchbar is situated and pivotally movable, said part, by movement inwardlyrelative to the base, being operable to displace the punch bar laterallyabout its pivot through said lateral opening in the part, and saidspring being operable when the part is unconstrained to retract thepunch bar.

8. A thimble setting device comprising a block containing a hole closedat one end and open at the other, an arbor in the hole, means pivotallyconnecting one end of the arbor to the block at the closed end of thehole, the distal end of the arbor terminating short of the open end ofthe hole, a punch bar pivotally connected at one end to the distal endof the arbor, said punch bar extending from the arbor through the openend of the hole, said hole beyond the end of the arbor being of smallersize and providing a shoulder spaced from the distal end of the arbor, apart mounted in said portion of the hole of smaller size with one endspaced from the distal end of the arbor and the other end extending fromthe hole, said part containing a longitudinal opening for receiving thepunch bar and a lateral opening through which the distal end of thepunch bar is adapted to be moved, means at the inner end of the partadapted to be held engaged with said shoulder and to limit outwardmovement of the part beyond said limiting position of said means withthe shoulder, a spring in that portion of the hole of larger sizeyieldably bearing against said means and normally holding the partagainst said shoulder, and means on said part operable by displacementof the part inwardly toward the arbor to move the punch bar laterallythrough said lateral opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS PATRICK D. LAWSON, PrimaryExaminer US. Cl. X.R. 12-146

